Child&#39;s riding toy



Feb. 4, 1969 w. P. FIELDS 3,425,709

CHILD'S RIDING TOY Filed April 18, 1967 United States Patent Oflice 3,425,709 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fiat bottom seat is mounted by a lazy susan antifriction device on a base from which casters depend.

According to this invention a childs riding toy is provided on which a child can be seated. The toy is low enough that the child can propel himself by placing his hands on a floor, the ground or the like. It includes a rectangular seat having a flat bottom with a forward inclined part and upstanding back, front and side walls. The lazy susan antifriction support is interposed between under side of the fiat bottom and the upper side of a circular base which has depending casters for engaging the floor, ground or the like.

In the drawing: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a childs riding toy in which this invention is embodied. FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, at an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and Showing the details of construction of the toy.

In the drawing the reference character designates, generally, a childs riding toy. The toy 10 includes a seat 11 that may be formed of wood, plastic, metal or the like. The seat 11 has a flat bottom 12 that is provided with an inclined forward portion 13 for accommodating the feet of the child seated on the flat bottom 12. The flat bottom 12 and inclined forward portion 13 are provided with an upstanding inclined back portion 14, a front portion 15 and side portions 16. If the seat 11 is formed of moldable plastic or metal, all of these parts can be integrally formed.

The flat bottom seat 11 is mounted by antifriction lazy susan support means, indicated generally at 19, on a base that preferably is circular and has a diameter that is less than the Width of the flat bottom 12. The base 20 also can be formed of wood, plastic or metal. Casters 21, preferably three or four in number, depend from the under side of the base 20 for rolling engagement with a surface 22 of a floor, side walk and the like. The casters 21 are of conventional construction and are secured by screws 23 to the under side of the base 20.

The antifriction lazy susan support means 19 that is interposed between the flat bottom 12 and the base 20 includes a lower ring 24 that may be molded of suitable plastic material and secured by bolts 25 to the upper side of the base 20. The lower ring 24 may have the same outside diameter as the diameter of the circular base 20. The lower ring 24 has an integral upstanding rim 26 with radially inwardly projecting integral lugs 27 for overlying a radially outwardly projecting rim or flange 28 of an upper ring 29 which also forms a part of the antifriction lazy susan support means 19 and may be formed of suitable plastic material. The upper ring 29 has a channel 30 along its upper surface which is filled with adhesive 31 for securing the upper ring 29- to the under side 32 of the flat bottom 12. Interposed between the upper surface 33 of the lower ring 24 and the lower surface 34 of the upper ring 29 are antifriction members 35, preferably in the form of balls, of which there may be from five to eight in number. The antifriction members or balls 35 are held captive in pocket 36 that are formed integrally with an antifriction retaining member in the form of a ring 37 that can be formed of suitable plastic material. The lower surface of the antifriction retaining member 38 is freely slidable along the upper surface 33 of the lower ring 24.

In the assembled condition the toy 10 is adapted to receive a small child as indicated in FIG: 1. The seat 11 is freely rotatable by virtue of the antifriction lazy susan support means 19 with respect to the base 20 and the base 20 is freely movable over the surface 22 of the floor, ground, side Walk or the like. Because of the fact that the seat 11 is elevated only slightly above the surface 22, the child thereon can readily engage this surface and propel himself as he may desire.

If the seat 11 and base 20 are formed of moldable material, such as plastic or metal, the upper ring 29 can be molded integrally with the fiat bottom 12 and the lower ring 24 can be molded integrally with the base 20. On assembly of such a construction, the antifriction retaining member 37 with the antifriction members or balls 35 is positioned on the upper surface 33 and then the rim 28 is snapped over the inwardly projecting lugs 27.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A childs riding toy adapted to be propelled by engagetnent with a floor by the hands of a child seated thereon and comprising:

a childs seat having a rectangular fiat bottom with a front portion inclined downwardly and upstanding side, front and back portions,

a circular fiat base underneath and having a diameter less than the width of said flat bottom with the distal edge of said front portion extending below the plane of said base,

a ring secured to the under side of said fiat bottom,

another ring secured to the upper side of said fiat base,

a ball retaining member slidably mounted on one of said rings,

balls held captive by said ball retaining member is spaced contacting engagement with the facing surfaces of said rings, and

a plurality of casters depending from said base for engagement with a floor or the like.

2. The childs riding toy according to claim 1 wherein said ring on said underside of said fiat bottom is formed integrally therewith, and said other ring on said upper side of said flat base is formed integrally therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 673,578 5/ 1901 Johnson 297-349 1,617,805 2/ 1927 Hanson 297349 2,631,651 3/1953 Boysel 297349 2,914,793 12/ 1959 .McMahan 297-649 LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner. ROBERT R. SONG, Assistant Examiner. 

